What is Your Identity??

     When you meet someone for the first time, often times after giving your name, we often then exchange the career we presently may be in.  My husband informs me that this is more common in conversations with men than women and I have to agree.  
     Identity is defined as the fact of "being what a person or thing is", or as the "distinguishing character or personality of an individual." 
   It wasn't too many years ago when my daughter Kamdyn was born, I felt the call from the Lord to come and be home with her.  I really struggled with this at first because I was very immersed in my profession of teaching.  I had nearly 15 years in at the time, was coaching, and also had various leadership positions within the school on committees, and was also the team leader of the 7th grade teachers.  I'd worked very hard to get to where I was and knew that if I resigned, I would not likely ever find myself in such a position again, let alone give up my salary.  
As I was driving down the road struggling with the thoughts of this wondering what my identity would be, the Lord very clearly said to me "I want to be your Identity".  
    Its normal to identify with something or someone like a person, organization, race, religion, nationality, church etc..... to help us feel connected and give us a sense of belonging.  In the natural realm we do identify with people, places and things but we need to think about it in the spiritual realm.
Galatians 2:20 says 
"We have been crucified with Christ"  Not only did we die with Him on the cross of Calvary, but we have also been raised with Him.

Ephesians 2:4-7 says
 "but God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with wish He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

   So according to scripture: We are seated with Christ in Heavenly places.
Unfortunately some Christians are having an identity crisis and are unaware of WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST OR WHERE THEY ARE SEATED.  Instead of identifying with Christ, they are identifying with the problems that they are confronted with.  You can tell this because often they call themselves by their problems : Divorced, bankrupt, separated, unemployed etc...
Others identify with a profession (like I did) as a teacher, coach, salesman, lawyer etc....   A profession is not WHO they are but what they DO.  We need to change our stinkin thinkin!!!!!

2 Corinthians 5:17  "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new." 
 When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside.  He is not the same anymore, an NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN!! PRAISE THE LORD!!
Before we were in Christ, we were destined for despair, degradation, and poverty.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Isn't that exciting??!!   
IN CHRIST IS WHERE OUR IDENTITY SHOULD BE.  IT'S IN JESUS THAT WE ARE SOMEBODY!!!

In scripture, did you even notice that Christ often changes peoples identities?  They may look at themselves one way, but God told them who they really were.
Lets read about Gideon:

Judges 6:1-11

Gideon

6 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.

7 When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.

Judges 6:12 

12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Read Judges 7:1-25    Gideon was acting like anything but a mighty warrior, but when he finally saw himself the way that God saw him, he went on to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites.  

Read about Abram:  In the natural it was impossible for Abram and Sarai to have children but God said in Genesis 17:5 

" No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham,for I have made you a father of many nations." and in Genesis 17:15 He also changed Sarai's name to Sarah.  God's words were fulfilled when Sarah gave birth to Isaac.

Romans 4:17 says that God calls those things that are not as thought they were.  In the natural realm, what God is calling us may not exist, but in Gods eyes, it does.  We need to talk about ourselves in the same way that God does.

So what does God say about us??

2 Corinthians 5:17 - we are new creatures

2 Corinthians 5:21 - We are the righteousness of God

1 Peter 2:24 - We have been healed

2 Corinthians 8:9 - We have been made rich

Ephesians 1:6 - We are accepted

Romans 6:20 - We are free from sin

Psalm 23:4 says "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."     I like to say "Yea though I walk through all the mess that the devil tried to put on me, I will fear no evil.  Through my identification in Christ, I can walk on scorpions and not be harmed.  I can walk on anything that tries to get in my way and come out victorious!!

ITS TIME TO STAND UP AND BE WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE!!

  When the devil tries to remind us of who we once were, where we've been, and what we've done in our past, we can throw our shoulders back and say "Don't mess with me, I am IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST!!

Iron Sharpening Iron

     I cannot even begin to express enough how thankful I am for the friendships that God has brought into my life.  There is a quote out there about friendship " In your entire life, you can probably count your true friends on one hand".  I have to say that for me I could easily use two hands to do so.  I have a handful however that remind me of the verse in the Bible about iron sharpening iron.  The real, no matter how bad it gets, how stupid or wrong I may be, no matter time or distance, I can count on them to slap me upside the head,  encourage me, always tell me the truth,  cheer me on, and love me regardless of how dumb I might be without holding back, friendships are priceless to me and have no doubt been God ordained in my life.
       The phrase “iron sharpens iron” is found in Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” There is mutual benefit in the rubbing of two iron blades together; the edges become sharper, making the knives more efficient in their task to cut and slice. Likewise the Word of God is a ‘double-edged sword’ (Hebrews 4:12), and it is with this that we are to sharpen one another—in times of meeting, fellowship, or any other interaction.
I am thankful for the times I have come to them in tears and just needed to be prayed with, over, and for.  I'm thankful for the times I too have been blessed enough to lift them up in prayer for needs in their lives and in their families lives.  We stand together in faith because we know that there is power in His Name.  

    Although I don't get to physically see these friends daily, I talk or converse with them nearly on a daily basis and am so thankful for social technology that aids in that, because the Proverb also indicates the need for constant fellowship with one another. Man was not made to be alone, for did not the Lord God say this, even before the Fall (Genesis 2:18)? How much more, then, after the Fall of Man, do we need to come together with our brothers and sisters in Christ for seasons of fellowship and prayer. Clearly this was recognized by the saints of the early church (Acts 2:42-47) who “devoted themselves” to the teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer, all corporate activities that provided opportunities for sharpening one another. The result was that they were “filled with awe” and when they met together, they praised God for the favor they found with one another.  

 The meeting of two together in the Lord’s name will always guarantee blessing. It is a means of grace that the Lord Himself promised—where two or more are gathered in His name, there He is among them (Matthew 18:20). Also, we see a similar meaning in Malachi for those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard (Malachi 3:16). When we sharpen one another in real Christian fellowship, the Lord bends an ear from heaven and is pleased. Not one word about Him which brings Him glory escapes His notice.

     Galatians 6:2-12  Speaks of bearing in one another burdens to fulfill the law of Christ.
The fragrances of divine ‘unity’ are best sensed in the relationship of David and Jonathan, son of Saul. When David was being hotly pursued by Saul, Jonathan sought David out “to help him find strength in God” (1 Samuel 23:16), which leads us onto our second point. Iron sharpening iron is an opportunity to fulfill the Law of Christ. The apostle Paul says that we are to carry and share the issues and burdens that we face daily, to lament over personal sin, advise on how best to repent of it, and rejoice over the conquest of it. This is the same “royal law” mentioned in James 2:8, where we are exhorted to love one another.
Returning to the analogy, if a knife is blunt, it still continues to be a knife, although it is less effective, less useful in the Lord’s service. Let us therefore be encouraged to spend more time together, exhorting, encouraging, praying, admonishing, sharing God’s Word, praying over God’s Word and the needs of one another, that we become sharper, more cutting in the calling that the Lord has assigned to each of us. Too often what passes as fellowship is centered on food and fun, not on sharpening one another with the Word of God. In far too many instances, the only knives being sharpened are the ones used to cut food - ha ha.
Finally, a knife that has been sharpened will also shine more because all the dullness has been rubbed off its surface. Likewise, we will shine better for our Lord if we do these things consistently. “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). After all, if we are not cheering one another on in our walk and walking in truth, then we are NOT - either you are or aren't.  Therefore, “... let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ....” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

What Kind of Runner Are You?

     As God's children, there is all kinds of discussion about running the race God has us on and that we are to keep our eyes focused on the race that is set before us. 
 Hebrews 12:1 says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  and 
1 Corinthians 9:24 says "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."  and there are a few others.
    When you are running a race I think it can be very easy to get distracted.  Our mind, first of all, can be a big culprit, as well as other runners, people on the sidelines, etc... so its important to keep focused on the finish line ahead and the reason you chose to run the race in the first place.  Honestly, running is not something I personally enjoy doing for fun, but I do it from time to time. God calls His children however to run with perseverance, and to throw off things that hinder.

Perseverance is defined as :  steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state,etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

     It may sound easy enough to some people, to just focus and go, right?  It is unfortunate however that we can be our own worst competitor when it comes to staying focused.  How often do we get to running the race God has us on and we begin to compare ourselves to other runners.  The focus soon turns to looking to see the path others are on.  Does their trail have better scenery, look shorter, easier?  Why does it appear that they get to stop and rest or enjoy what may look like resting for awhile, while you have encountered a hill?    Oh, and then there is the timing issue.  If it appears that someone may be getting ahead of you in the race, when maybe you think they started after you began.  When this happens, then we start to compare times and either wonder whats wrong with us, or why they are reaching the goal as what appears to be faster etc... and the "fairness" issue comes into play.  The focus then becomes no longer on the race MARKED OUT FOR US but what is actually happening, is that our focused has wavered and is causing us to stumble on our own trail. As if that doesn't seem like enough to hinder the race, what about the type of runner you are?  Along the way there are obstacles and things we have to make decisions on.  How to do handle other runners as they cross your path?  Do you speak life or death upon their race.  If they stumble, do you stop to help dust them off and encourage them to get back moving or do you step over them and keep going?  What about the spectators on the sideline, do you allow their words to affect your race?  

I believe God calls us to be runners of various types with the common goal of running His race to the very best of our ability while walking in love.  Many times we also have to turning the other cheek,  making sure we are thinking on things that are good pure....and remembering to continually forgive, forgive, forgive.  The truth is that we cannot compare our course to anyone else, as God has a very special plan for each one of us. 
 Jeremiah 29:11 states just that.  ".For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " 
 From what you can see, you may have no idea how it will all play out and you just can't see the finish line, and that's okay as long as you continue to stay focused on the prize and stay on the path.  I'm thankful for the many things I've learned as I continue to run my race, and greatful for those runners the Lord has sent to cross my path as I have felt weary and needed encouragement as we all need from time to time.  If we can stay on the path, it is a certian victory to further God's Kingdom, and will be sweeter than any one you could imagine on your own.  

What Death Has Taught Me

     Twelve years ago today, March 8^th, 2001, my life changed forever when my husband Todd went home to be with the Lord at the young age of 35.  It seems that I only reflect publicly on this anniversary day, but the truth is, that it is a daily reflection for me.  This may be hard to believe, but not a day has gone by in these twelve years when I haven’t reflected on the loss of Todd in some way.

   I married Todd in 1997, and became wife and step-mom to Payton.  In June of 2000, Payton was joined by his sister Kennedy.  Just a few short months after that Todd became sick with what we thought was the flu….a question I still have yet to have answered.

     Sadly I have had someone actually say to me after his death, “well you were ONLY married 4 years” as if to minimize the pain involved, or to heartlessly try making the situation insignificant.  This to me was as cruel as if I went to someone who had just lost a baby and said “well you only had them for a couple days”, as if this somehow magically makes it less significant.  I guess the lesson that I took from that was that some would be better off using a glue stick, than a chap stick.

   I miss many things about Todd, but mostly I miss his sense of humor, his creativity, and his laugh.  I think of how much the children would have loved to have gotten to know him.  He would have loved them dearly, and been incredibly proud of them, as well as his nieces and nephews that didn’t get the chance to watch grow up, or with some even meet for the first time.

    I know in my heart how proud he would have been of me for so many things.  He always was my biggest cheerleader in so many ways.  He believed in me when I couldn’t find a way to believe in myself in various things.  This is why he was such an incredible teacher and his students loved him.

He taught hundreds of students in his years of teaching, which’ve grown up and moved into careers of their own.  I still get letters or see some of them from time to time who will tell me just how much he meant to them.  I do understand.

     Death is such a final thing, because we can’t go back and change things…it’s too little too late for regrets or woulda, coulda, shoulda’s, but God uses all things for His glory.   Even though Todd is gone, I’m still learning many things from his legacy.  Over the years dealing with his death and walking through that valley, has taught me to be more compassionate to others.  Loss is a difficult experience that we all must walk through but not one is the same.  I have no idea what it’s like to lose a child, a sibling, a mother, etc…. but I do know what it is like to lose a spouse.  I have recognized that everyone’s loss is in some points the same, but each loss is unique and the pain is real.  I cannot ever say that “I know how you feel” because I will never be you, nor will you be me….but I assure you, the pain is something I would not wish upon anyone.  Because of that, I grieve when someone else walks through any kind of loss and try never to judge how they react to such an experience when they move forward in life.

    I’ve learned to thank God daily for His provision.  At a time when I thought I would lose everything, let alone deal with the grief, the Lord carried me though without fail on all accounts, and still continues to do just as He promised in my life.

     I’ve learned to forgive, and be quick about it and offer love to all regardless if they receive it or not.

I’ve learned to reach for goals and the plans that God has for my life with boldness even though I can’t see the other side because this life will be gone in the blink of an eye.

  I’ve learned not to worry too much about what others say because everyone has an opinion, and those that matter will cheer you on, and those that mind probably shouldn’t matter.

   I’ve learned to move forward because moving backward just isn’t productive for moving on with life.  I know that he would have been so proud of me for not staying in the past but making the best out of my life that I could.

   I’ve learned to sing even when I’m scared.  Todd heard me sing for the first time just a few weeks before he passed away and during the time I sang, he had tears streaming down his face the entire time, afterward telling me that it was a gift from God and that I should be using my gift and not hiding it under fear.  I’ve not stopped singing since.

     I’ve learned that legacy is important to think about as I live each day. As I live my life it’s important to be responsible enough to know that the things that I do and say, I will not only be accountable for in Heaven, but may have an effect on those here on earth.

Todd was not perfect and would laugh at such a gesture, but he did touch my life in a way that will stay with me forever.  His loss is still felt daily, especially as I look into my daughter’s eyes.  I am thankful for the time we had together, however long or short one sees it, and the fact that I know he would be proud of the person I have become, and how I have raised and continue to raise our daughter. I have no doubt he would be cheering me on and running along side me screaming at the top of his lungs to keep going - thats the kind of guy he was. J

You can read more about my testimony of loss in a previous blog post called "The Day I Lost My Husband"

http://www.divineirrigation.blogspot.com/2011/03/day-i-lost-my-husband.html